WALTHAM, Mass. – The Smaller Business Association of New England has announced additional funding for its Manufacturing Matching Grant Program, an initiative designed to provide funds for high-powered consulting expertise to small and medium-sized manufacturers.

The grant program may award up to $7,500 per company and requires a dollar-for-dollar match by the company. According to the release, if a company’s application is selected, it will send 50 percent of the projected project cost to SBANE, which will pay the third part consultant directly.

The program is limited to Massachusetts-based manufacturing companies only. In order to be eligible, companies must meet the criteria used by the state of Massachusetts to define a “manufacturing corporation.”

To apply, companies should complete the one-page application and submit it along with a detailed statement describing how the project will benefit the company as well as a number of other details, including: how many jobs the company has, the impact the project will have on the company, the consultant proposal, a task statement and a project timeline.

SBANE will be accepting applications for the competitive, one-time matching grant program until March 4 at 5 p.m. Applications will be vetted by a committee of seven.

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